Amalgamating machine



Dec. 25, 1951 Wj STYLES 2,579,881.

AMALGAMATING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Y N Q Y? I f.I J

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Dec. 25, 1951 w. STYLES 2,579,881

AMALGAMATING MACHINE Filled March 18, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 PatentedDec. 25, `1951 STATES ears-Nr ori-Trice 2,579,881 -AMALGAMATING MAGHINEWesley Styles,- Minneapolis, Minn.

`Appli-cauon- March 18, 1946,serial-Normateca My' present invention`relates to an improved machine for separating precious metals, such asgold and the like, from placer or other rather ne'ly 4divided ores and,generally stated, `consists of novel devices, combinations of devicesandarrangement of parts hereinafter described and deiine'd in the claim.

VAs is well known, gold is the precious metal most usualy separated fromits bearing ore by the process known as amalgamation,` and mercury is`the `amalgarnator generally employed for this purpose.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of amachine of the general character described bymeans of which a greaterpercentage of the ,gold or other precious metal irl-.placer or similarore may be separated from the ore than has been possible with prior artmachines.

A -further objectof the invention is the pro- 1 claim. (C1. 209-205)vision of an improved machine of the kind and for the purpose set forthwherein nely divided ore in sludge form will be prepared for and subjectto theprocess of amalgamation while passing through a single chamber ofthe machine. In this connection attentionis called to the fact that thegold` bearing particles of placer ores inparticularare' often coatedVwith a substance not soluble in the mercury or other suitable amalgamator and, that if such coating be not removed, the gold bearingparticles so coated will bev carried over anddischarged with Atheresiduesludge. In accordance With the present invention I largelyovercome this loss-of precious metal bypassing the gold bea-ring orein'l wet or sludge form through an amalgamating chamber containing asuitable quantity of amalgamating medium, such asmercury, and providingin saidchamber means whereby the ore is continuously subject `to thefollowing compound action, `to wit: 4(a.) a violent agitation ofthe orewhich subjects the particles towa scrubbing action tending to polish olfthe protective coating or layer; (b) a violent impingement of theoreparticles against ahard andv preferably roughened surface tending toactually crack as wellV as wear or polish off theprotective coating; andv(c) producing a violent and` thorough mixing of the ore particles withthe amalgamating mercury or medium. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention illustrated, this multiple action is accomplished in anon-rotary or stationary amalgamating chamber of` generally cylindricalshape havingV aroughenedy peripheral surface to aid in crackingvv and,'sccnirin-gA the-coating mentioned andcon- 2 taininga rotary agitator to,produce the above mentioned violent a'gitationof the ore sludge for the.purpose of scrubbing andl mixingb with the amalgamating medium andwhich also throws the sludge against the stationary peripheral wall ofthe chamber with great force which tends to crack` vthe coatings on theparticles in the manner mentioned.

, In `machines of the type herein illustrated,in which the amalgamatingchamber is, horizontally elongated and formed in a stationary housing,some -d-iiliculty has been4 encountered in main-ytaining-,a-uniform'levelof mercury or other amal-` gamatingmediumrvthroughout the length of the amalgamatingchamber throughout theVamalgamating process-andv the tendency of the continuouslt7 moving bodyof ore sludge to draw the mercury `a-malgamator toward theroutput end ofthe ama-lga-mated chamber. In fact, in. some cases, this draggingaction`ofthe moving column or sludge on the mercury tends to build up themercury level at the output'end of the amalgamating chamber above .theresidue sludge outlet and, of course, if this happens, there is an im-`mediate loss of Valuable `mercury or equivalent` amalgamator. Y

`Another object,y therefore, of the present invention is the provisionofan improved structure wherein the level of mercury, or otheramalgamator, will remain` substantially constant from one end of `theamalgama-ting chamberto the other endthereof regardless of the velocityof sludge movementlongtudinally of the amalgamatingfchamber, and to thisend I- provide, in accordancefwith-the present invention, a` returnpassage for the mercury, or other amalgamatingmedium,` leading from thelower output end portion-of the amalgamating chamber to the lower inputend portion of the amalgamatingl chamber. Preferably,` but notessential, this returnl passage is'equipped witlr a-suitable powerdriven pumping mechanismftor producing a continuous circulation of'vthe-amalgamator from the output end back to the inputend of theamalgamating ch'amber.- :In accordance with the preferred ernbodiment ofthe invention uherein illustrated-,fthe said return-passage isinthe formof-anelongated cylinderand isequippedwith an impeller in the nature'of afeed-screw-like auger. V y

The `above and `other highly important i objects andadvantages of theinventionivwilli be made apparent from -therollowing specication, claim'and `:appended drawings. Y In `the vaccomparnkzing drawings likecharacters indicate likepa-rts Athroughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical axial sectional view through the machineincorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in left end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. l;and

Fig. `3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1.

In the drawings the housing of the amalgamating machine is indicated asan entirety by I and comprises a horizontally disposed drum-like section2 and removable heads 3 and 4 respectively. The intermediate drum-likesection I of the housing is formed with an elongated horizontallydisposed cylindrical bore providing an amalgamating chamber, and belowsaid bore -5 the drum-like section 2 is formed withia cylindrical bore 6that opens into the lower output end portion of the amalgamating chamberthrough` a port 1 and opens into the lower input end portion of theamalgamating chamber through a port 8. The bore 6 extends in parallelspaced relation to the amalgamating chamber forming bore 5 and provides,together with the ports 1 and 8, a return passage for the amalgamatorfrom the output back to the input end portion of the amalgamatingchamber. As previously indicated, the bore 6 is preferably provided witha suitable pumping device or impeller and does, therefore, serve also asa pumping chamber. In the preferred embodimentv of the inventionillustrated, the pumping device or impeller is in the nature of ascrew-type conveyor or auger 9 journalled at its opposite ends in thekopposite heads 3 and 4 respectively.` The heads 3 and 4 are anchored tothe opposite ends of the housing section 2 by screws, or the like, I0.The rotary agitator of the amalgamating chamber is indicated as anentirety by II and comprises an driven at high speed which will. throughthe reduction gears I5, drive the auger-like mpeller 9 at a reducedspeed with respect to the speed of the shaft I3 and its agitator Il. Toseparate gold, or the like, from placer or similar finely divided ore,the ore will be injected into the amalgamating chamber 5 through theinlet pipe I8 and cooperating passage I6 in wet or sludge form, and willflow through the amalgamating chamber to and out of the outlet passageI1 and discharge pipe I9. The flow through the machine can be continuousand will keep the ore sludge level in the amalgamating chamber above thebottom of the outlet passage I1. The rate of delivery of sludge ore tothe inlet end of the amalgamating chamber should, however, be controlledto keep the sludge level in the amalgamating chamber below the axis ofsaid chamber and the rotary agitator level.

As the sludge ore passes through the amalgamating chamber, it will besubject to violent agitation by the rotor blades I2 which will pro--duce the beforementioned compound action which to repeat is as follows:k(a) the violent action of the ore sludge will cause the particlesthereof to be scrubbed against one another and against the roughenedwall of the amalgamating chamber and surfaces of the agitator bladeswhich will tend to scrub off or polish off the amalgamation inhibitingcoatings on the goldY with the mercury, or other amalgamating meaxiallyspaced `series of disc-like agitator blades I2 press fit on a powerdriven rotary shaft I3 with suitable spacing washers I4 applied betweenthe blades I2. The agitator thus formed is an elongated affair extendingsubstantially coaxially of the amalgamating chamber with opposite endportions of its shaft I3 journalled in the heads 3 and 4 respectively.One end of the shaft of the Vimpeller 9 and a corresponding end Vof theagitator 'shaft I3 extend through the housing head 3 and are connectedby intermeshing gears I5. The` shaft I3 may be driven from any suitablesource of power, such as an electric motor.

or the like, not shown. The housing head 3 is provided with an axial orsludge inlet passage I6, and the head 4 is provided with a similarresidue sludge outlet passage I1.

An inlet pipe I8 leads downwardly into the passage I6 and an outlet pipeor conduit I9 leads downwardly from the residue outlet passage I1. Themachine shown is supported by legs 20 formed integrally with the heads 3and 4 respectively, and a suitable petcock 2I is provided for drainingthe mercury or -other liquid amalgamating liquid from the amalgamatingchamber and from the underlying bore 6 through the bottom wall. of thehousing.

Preparatory toV operation, the mercury, or other suitable amalgamatingfluid, will be injected into the amalgamating chamber through the inletI8 in quantity siiiiicient to ll the impeller-equipped pump chamber 6and to bring the level thereof in the amalgamating chamber f 6 up to apoint above the bottoms of the agitator blades IN2' butbelow the bottomlof the outlet passage I1. Also the agitator shaft I3 Will be dium,which is heavier than the ore sludge and will tend to remain at thebottom of the amalgamating chamber.Y Of course, all during thisoperation the mercury amalgamator will be continuously circulated overthe bottom of the amalgamating chamber from the input toward the outputend thereof and then returned to the input end of the amalgamatingVchamber by the auger 9 through the port 1, passage 6 and port 8. Aspreviously indicated, this continuous returning ofthe mercury from theoutput end portion of the amalgamating chamber back to the input endportion thereof will automatically maintain the mercury level in theamalgamating chamber substantially uniform throughout the length of thechamber and will thereby eliminate the possibility of the mercury beingcarried over into the outlet passage I1 as a result of the flow of oresludge in that direction. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen thatthe abovementioned roughened surface of the amalgamating chamber 5 maybe produced by providing therein a closely spaced series of circulargrooves or corrugations.

In practicel it has'been found that a larger percentage of the goldbearing particles in lthe ore will be removed during its passage throughmy improved machine than has been hitherto possible with prior artmachines which, for the large part, are much more complex. In fact, ithas been found'that only a very small percentage of gold bearing orewill be carried over into the outlet passage I1 withthe residue sludge,and that an unusually large percentage of the gold bearing ore will besuccessfully amalgamated,

odically, of course, the amalgamating mercury, or the like, will bedrained oi through the petcock 2| and replaced.

What I claim is:

In an amalgamating machine, a stationary housing providing ahorizontally elongated generally cylindrical amalgamating chamberadapted to contain a body of fluid amalgamating medium to apredetermined static level, an ore sludge inlet passage through one endWall portion of the amalgamating medium, a residue sludge outlet throughthe other end wall portion of the amalgamating chamber and located abovethe static level Aci? the amalgamating medium, the inner wall surface ofthe stationary housing defining the periphery of the amalgamatingchamber being roughened to aid in scouring and cracking of theamalgamation inhibiting coating on the ore particles, a horizontallyeiongated rotary agitator within the amalgamating chamber and journalledin the end wall portions of said housing, said rotary agitatorcomprising a series of axially spaced agitating blades, power means fordriving said agitator at high speed, whereby to produce a severeimpingement of the ore particles against the roughened interior surfaceof the housing wall, said housing being formed below the amalgamatingchamber thereof to provide an elongated cylindrical pump chamberextending substantially parallel to the amalgamating chamber, saidhousing wall being provided with, an amalgamating uid outlet passagefrom the lower portion of the amalgamating chamber at the output endthereof to one end of said elongated pump chamber, said housing wallbeing provided with a REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 66,529 Smith /July 9, 1867245,848 Mames Aug. 16, 1881 254,505 Rollins Mar. 7, 1882 290,802 RollinsDec. 25, 1883 311,258 Randolph Jan. 27, 1885 366,130 Rollins July7 5,1887 657,398 Day Sept. 4, 1900 889,813 Sachse June 2, 1908 999,814Luckenbach Aug. 8, 1911 2,043,115 Phily June 2, 1936 OTHER REFERENCESItaly-Jordan, 2nd Series, vol. 15, No. 551, pages 675, 678, platesCXLVI-CXLVII, May 20, 1884.

